Travelling to Spain with dogs

We were nearly put off going to Spain for winter after speaking to other people about travelling with our dogs. We are so glad that we weren’t!

In some parts of Spain its fair to say it isn’t the most dog friendly but overall, however we have found it to be a good experience. You do need to be mindful of the following:

1. Make sure you get your dog a Scalibor collar or equivalent. They aren’t cheap at around £30.00 each but control infestations of ticks, sand flies & mosquitoes. It is supplied in two sizes “small-medium (48cm)”or “large” (65cm). The small collar contains 0.76g of deltamethrin and the large collar contains 1.0g of deltamethrin. The collar itself is white and odourless. Scalibor Collars provide up to 6 months protection from ticks. It kills ticks that can transmit serious diseases such as Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Babesiosis. The collar should be applied at least 10-14 days before exposure to fleas and ticks.
2. Some breeds are on the Dangerous Dogs list and need to be licenced in Spain and must wear a muzzle, be microchipped and also insured. The breeds included are Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire & American Bull Terrier, Rottweiler and Akita along with a few others of similar ilk. Unfortunately, different regions of Spain have different laws so it would be prudent to check before you travel. Even if your dog is not officially one of the listed breeds but has the following characteristics you might also require a licence. Muscular, Agile and Powerful. Short Hair. Strong Character. Weighs over 20 kgs. Strong Jaws. Muscular neck and hind quarters. We have Oakley a 45 kg German Shepherd and we have not had any issues to date, however it could be more difficult with one of the specified breeds.
3. When researching dog friendly beaches. I could only find information stating a lot of the beaches do not allow dogs on them. We have managed to find lovely beaches that are dog friendly that are just away from the main tourist stretches.
4. Generally speaking dogs can not go on public transport in Spain unless they are a small dog and in a carrier, so taking our dogs on trains or buses has been out the question. We do know people who have smaller dogs have bought rucksack type dog carriers and not had any issues on public transport.
5. The majority of restaurants will not allow dogs inside. The weather has been lovely and we have had no issue sitting outside restaurants with our dogs.
6. Make sure you are aware of the dangers of the processionary caterpillars (if you aren’t see our separate blog). They are a real hazard for dogs and humans. Some were seen on the ground this year as early as December and tend to be a potential hazard until April. These furry little critters are very dangerous to dogs and can be life threatening so please make sure you are aware of them.
7. In a lot of the coastal towns and Cities you aren’t allowed to take your dogs in parks and it can be difficult to find somewhere to exercise your dog. We found that if you google ‘dog parks’ a lot of the towns and cities have dedicated dog parks. The dog parks are usually a good size with some agility equipment, drinking areas and secure so that you can let your dog off the lead for a run.
8. We haven’t seen many stray dogs but the ones we have come across tend to not bother you but use common sense. We tend to just cross over the road and give them a wide berth.

Please don’t let anything hold you back from visiting Spain with your dog, its a terrific destination and we have thoroughly enjoyed trekking around with our pooches.